


Nags and Dollars

by nonky



Category: Smallville
Genre: F/M, Season/Series 10
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-23
Updated: 2019-02-23
Packaged: 2019-11-04 02:44:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17890016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nonky/pseuds/nonky
Summary: Spoilers: Season ten up to Chlollie getting hitched.





	Nags and Dollars

Chloe Sullivan had a busy first week in Star City. She was trying to get settled and find her way around; had yet to even figure out if she was taking Oliver's infamous last name or trying to play under the radar. Her new editor had been duly warned she couldn't cover Oliver's business or heroic activities, so she wasn't lying – but she didn't know if she wanted to tell the whole truth even before the end of a handshake.

Oliver was pretty relaxed about something she considered a little stressful. He said he didn't care one way or the other as long as she was living with him as his wife. Chloe had been teasing him about his lowered expectations for weeks. She didn't want the world to think he'd been whipped, and his gratitude wasn't necessary. She was getting a marriage, too.

He had smoothed the way for her to move into his apartment, making room for her new wardrobe. Her clothing had been pared down or even discarded to charity bins while she was traveling. Replenishing her slinky work clothes had been fun for both of them; Oliver appointed himself her change room assistant.

She sighed as she checked her bag once more. In a month or so, it wouldn't bother her to run home and retrieve her phone or notes. Reporters were going out on assignment all day long anyway, but she didn't want her first impression to be a fumbling new bride coasting on her husband's influence.

“Ugh, I forgot to go to the ATM. Ollie, can I take a twenty from your wallet,” she called.

He padded on bare feet toward his briefcase, taking his billfold out and turning it upside down with a mock woeful slump.

“I didn't get to the ATM either, professor. Somebody was in a rush to get home and seduce somebody else.”

Her grin was involuntary. They were unconventional newlyweds but rather smug about the wedding being so spectacular and eventful not one person who'd been there could recall all that had happened. Her husband was adorable. He had been thoughtful and attentive despite not being able to take off for a honeymoon. They had put off all the social calls from people anxious to meet her, and fallen back into bed almost as often as they wanted.

“You were rushing me to get me naked,” Chloe scolded. “I need lunch money. I destroyed all my credit cards when I went off the grid. I have two dollars to my name and I've only found one place that takes my Metrobank card.”

He snapped his fingers, sifting around his open briefcase until he came up with a very glossy card. “Your personal account should be accessible now, you just have to go online and choose your PIN. We'll get you a new one, pending your 'to-Queen-or-not-to-Queen' debate. For now, just sign as Chloe Sullivan and it will be fine.”

Oliver held it out, stepped closer as she hesitated. The doubt in her eyes made him frown. “You don't have to use it, but I'm not going to let you starve. I know you have to get going, and you're going to be the new kid. Just let me do one little thing to make your day easier,” he said softly, switching to teasing as he smirked. “It only has a million dollar limit, but it will cover you for the incidentals.”

His big hand flattened her palm and balanced the card there. Chloe licked her lips and gave the tiniest whine.

“A mill- what am I supposed to do with a million dollars? I can't take your money, Oliver.” She put the card down decisively, crossing her arms.

Oliver sighed, eyeing her ruefully. He had known this was going to happen,and presenting the card at the start of a busy day was supposed to cut out a lot of this argument. He had hoped the span of a day would push the issue out in favour of more important things.

“I'm not giving you my money. Say I call you from work and ask you to pick something up for me because I don't have time; I should pay for that, and for the household expenses,” he told her. “I hate to make it about this, but there are things people will expect from my wife that few people could afford without a trust fund. There are expenses involved in making sure everyone knows I value you as my partner. If you were put in the position of having to say you couldn't afford those things it would be an excuse for people to be disrespectful. I want my intentions toward you to be clear.”

Her head shake was almost panicked, and he concealed his anxiety. He really had misread her comfort level about his money. Her ruthless use of his money to fund Kryptonite weapons was completely forgiven, but he'd had to do better to forget it. In every other circumstance except saving humanity, Chloe had kept herself distanced from his wealth.

“It doesn't have to mean anything because we know we're not about money. This way I can leave a message for you to stop in and buy a race horse if your schedule is more flexible than mine.”

Chloe's mouth quirked reluctantly. “You're going to get me to buy your race horses?”

Oliver pretended to do mental math, ticking off with his fingers. “Hmm, you only have a million on there. That's only going to buy a mediocre old nag of a thoroughbred. I'll put a call in and get your limit up to 10.”

Her involuntary shriek of appalled laughter covered Oliver picking her up for a kiss and slipping the card into her bag. Chloe held on as he spun them, enjoying his last taste of his wife for hours.

“Don't increase the limit! I'll take it with me and buy lunch,” she promised. “Just lunch. Boring, inexpensive, plain lunch. A Chloe Sullivan lunch, while I think about being Chloe Queen in the covetous eyes of your home town. Thank you for lunch. I'll see you later.”

Responding to her severe look, Oliver set her down and gave Chloe a final peck. “Don't overthink it. I'll get you the most ergonomic, lumbar-supportive throne that ever existed. Have a good day at work.”


End file.
